Cartoon: Hamilton by Clay Jones Vice President-elect Mike Pence decided to expand his culture a bit and attend the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” He was booed by the audience and then he received a lecture from the cast at the end of the show. The cast asked Pence to work on behalf of all Americans. Gee. If a Midwestern homophobe can’t be comfortable at a Broadway show what’s … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Hamilton
Trump needs to disown his white nationalist hangers-on
WASHINGTON -- I'm afraid I missed the conference of white supremacists in Washington this weekend. I was hosting my daughter's bat mitzvah. But I have a pretty good picture of what happened, because luckily -- for me, if not for them -- several other journalists attended Saturday's gathering of alt-right leader Richard Spencer's National Policy Institute at the … [Read more...] about Trump needs to disown his white nationalist hangers-on
Brace Yourselves for the Age of Trump
Here in Philadelphia, a sudden cold snap brought an abrupt end to a long and dazzling Indian summer. As the wind skittered across our garden and sent the dead leaves flying, I stepped outside and took a fond last look at the annuals. They were still bursting with blooms, but tonight would bring the first frost. Tomorrow they'd most likely be defunct, and a long winter lay … [Read more...] about Brace Yourselves for the Age of Trump
What Will a Trump Presidency Mean for the Refugee Community?
Donald Trump’s administration-in-waiting doesn’t skew toward the Right — it skews toward the medieval. And that’s left thousands of political refugees wondering: what’s going to happen to me now? The US has had a troubling couple of years where refugees are concerned, and regrettably, the results of the 2016 election are unlikely to ease the … [Read more...] about What Will a Trump Presidency Mean for the Refugee Community?
GOP Health Care Reform
Sara Kliff has an interesting interview with Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) up on vox.com. Cassidy and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) have proposed the Healthcare Accessibility, Empowerment and Liberty Act, one of several GOP health care proposals. Its major features include tax credits and health savings accounts in place of subsidies, cheaper plans that cover less, and more power … [Read more...] about GOP Health Care Reform
CINEMA OF CHANGE VS PROPAGANDA
Cinema of Change VS Propaganda by Robert Rippberger What differentiates a good message movie from a movie that’s too preachy? How does a movie effectively present a point of view without insulting the intelligence of its audience? As a Cinema of Change filmmaker, these are questions I am asking myself more and more. This year is the 70th Anniversary of Frank Capra’s … [Read more...] about CINEMA OF CHANGE VS PROPAGANDA
History v Now: And Then Technology Struck
Now we are getting to the time period most of those alive and voting today actually remember. Those of us in the Baby Boom generation remember it all too well. Around the same time that US companies began to move relatively low skilled jobs overseas to China, SE Asia and eventually India, to make goods for US companies to be sold in the US and elsewhere, a massive explosion of … [Read more...] about History v Now: And Then Technology Struck
D.C. Court: Bob Marley smoked weed? Show us some evidence
In the wake of President-elect Donald Trump's tapping of Alabama senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, Bob Marley fans and marijuana smokers, especially those planning a trip to Washington, D.C., should know about a quirky, overlooked judicial opinion issued by the D.C. Court of Appeals (on January 28 of this year). It was an odd case, just as likely to have been reported … [Read more...] about D.C. Court: Bob Marley smoked weed? Show us some evidence
Refugees: The Humanity of a Young Child (A Follow-Up)
A Follow-Up: A few days ago, Alex, the six-year-old boy who wrote to President Obama the letter discussed below, visited the White House. Watch below how President Obama welcomed and thanked Alex. Original Post: As reported by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the world is facing the largest displacement crisis on record. Sixty-five million people have … [Read more...] about Refugees: The Humanity of a Young Child (A Follow-Up)
Alt Right Light
Copyright 2016 David Donar. All rights reserved.Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Alt Right Light
Trump confirms wife and son will not move to D.C. after inauguration
The NY Post1 announced Sunday that President-elect Donald Trump’s 10 year old son Barron “will not be moving to the White House” in January. Trump, 70, confirmed that his wife and son would stay in New York until "he’s finished with school." Barron and Melania, 46, will remain in New York City so that Barron can continue attending Columbia Grammar and Preparatory … [Read more...] about Trump confirms wife and son will not move to D.C. after inauguration
Daughters Whose Dads Voted for Trump
The surprise election of Donald Trump has, for one thing, brought about a much-needed debate among family members about what they perceive to be their values, their aspirations for themselves and their children and, perhaps more important, their hopes and goals for our nation. A previous article discussed how many parents have tried to explain to their children -- … [Read more...] about Daughters Whose Dads Voted for Trump
Movie review: Casey Affleck’s searing performance cuts deep in Kenneth Lonergan’s ‘Manchester by the Sea’
Powerful, emotional filmmaking that leaves a scar, Kenneth Lonergan's "Manchester by the Sea" is heartbreaking yet somehow heartening, a film that just wallops you with its honesty, its authenticity and its access to despair. Writer-director Lonergan, best known for 2000's Oscar-nominated "You Can Count on Me" and the more recent "Margaret," has a phenomenal ear for… … [Read more...] about Movie review: Casey Affleck’s searing performance cuts deep in Kenneth Lonergan’s ‘Manchester by the Sea’
The Bright Side of a Donald Trump Presidency
The Bright Side of a Donald Trump Presidency Raging Moderate by Will Durst Well. That happened. Donald J. Trump didn't just perplex the pundits, pollsters and his own progeny with a stunning electoral pummeling of Hillary Clinton, he pelted them with showbiz shock and awe. It was a wake-up call that surely rolled Beethoven, who was deaf, and is now dead. It was the new … [Read more...] about The Bright Side of a Donald Trump Presidency
‘Hamilton’ cast asks Pence to work for ‘all of us.’ Trump seeks apology
The cast of "Hamilton," the Pulitzer-prize winning play about founding father Alexander Hamilton, delivered a political statement to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who attended a Friday night performance. As the audience applauded during the curtain call, actor Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Aaron Burr, stepped forward and called out to Pence. Tonight, VP-Elect Mike Pence … [Read more...] about ‘Hamilton’ cast asks Pence to work for ‘all of us.’ Trump seeks apology
The Gettysburg Address
One hundred fifty-three years ago on November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln stood up to say a few words on a battlefield in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. He said "the world would little note nor long remember what we say here." But that is not true. President Lincoln's speech is still studied not only in history books but in literature books. He also said that "we can not … [Read more...] about The Gettysburg Address
Cohen Warns Conservatives to Avoid Trump
Former Bush State Department staffer Eliot Cohen warns conservatives off of serving a Trump administration in The Washington Post. The tenor of the Trump team, from everything I see, read and hear, is such that, for a garden-variety Republican policy specialist, service in the early phase of the administration would carry a high risk of compromising one’s integrity and … [Read more...] about Cohen Warns Conservatives to Avoid Trump
Flint’s water crisis must be near the top of Trump agenda
The interminable failure of government to marshal all available resources, brainpower, imagination, and resolution of spirit, to finally solve Flint, Michigan’s contaminated water problem, stands, in relief, as a giant scarlet letter branded on the breast of America; just supplant the shame-evoking, blood-curdling, familiar image of the red “A” for “adulteress” with an even … [Read more...] about Flint’s water crisis must be near the top of Trump agenda
President-Elect Trump Agrees to Pay $25 Million in Trump University Settlement
Most people realized that now-President Elect Donald Trump was not (ahem) being accurate during the campaign when he said he never settles lawsuits. So the news came today that the President-Elect of the United States has agreed to pay $25 million in a Trump University fraud lawsuit. Donald J. Trump has reversed course and agreed on Friday to pay $25 million to settle a … [Read more...] about President-Elect Trump Agrees to Pay $25 Million in Trump University Settlement
Former Klan Leader David Duke Hails Trump’s ‘Great’ Selection Of Sessions For Attorney General
Reprinted with permission from Media Matters. David Duke - a white nationalist radio host, noted anti-Semite, failed 2016 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, and former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard - praised reports that Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) will be nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as attorney general. Duke also lauded Trump for naming… … [Read more...] about Former Klan Leader David Duke Hails Trump’s ‘Great’ Selection Of Sessions For Attorney General